Hal Galper Trio - Fugue State (1997)

Fugue State captures the Hal Galper Trio -- pianist Galper, bassist Jeff Johnson, drummer Steve Ellington -- performing live at the Manchester Craftsmens' Guild on February 8, 1997. The trio runs through a number of standards -- "The End of a Love Affair," "If You Are But a Dream," "It's Magic" -- but the approach is anything but standard, as the group improvises imaginatively, working around themes and turning them inside out. As the title suggests, the end result is like a fugue in its circular structure and repitition, and that's the main reason why Fugue State is another solid entry in Galper's catalog. © Leo Stanley